A YOUNG drag racer has died after losing control of his vintage car at 130mph while taking part in a major racing event.

Kasey Dixon-Grainger, 23, from Billingham, near Stockton, veered sideways before crossing the finish line at the York Raceway event causing his 1966 Ford Mark 1 Cortina to roll several times and set on fire.

Mr Dixon-Grainger was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, a racing strip on the Old Melbourne Airfield, at Pocklington, near York, at about 11.15am yesterday (Sunday).

Organisers said the “highly respected and well-regarded” driver was racing as part of a family team with his parents, Tanya and Paul Dixon-Grainger, and his brother, who were all present at yesterday’s event, and was well-known in the drag racing community.

Racing was abandoned at the Raceway as a mark of respect after the accident and the 100 competitors formed a parade of honour around the track in honour of Mr Dixon-Grainger.

Steve Murty, the organiser of the two-day event, which attracted more than 1,000 spectators, said the driver had been travelling at full speed when he lost control, causing the car to roll.

As the event was open to the public, firefighters and paramedics were already at the track and rushed to the accident site but Mr Dixon-Grainger was pronounced dead at the scene.

A spokeswoman for Humberside Police said a joint investigation into the cause of the crash would be carried out between the force, East Riding of Yorkshire Council and the Health and Safety Executive.

Read the full story in tomorrow's Northern Echo.